Letters for October 31, 2019

Fan mail

Re “Our correspondent” (Letters to the editor, Oct. 24):

Touche, guys! Not one … but two Craig Bergland letters! Sadly, the sarcasm was way too obvious. But then, a “publication” that gives BVD a space to cram as many grade school descriptions of Trump into a small column every week seldom fails to fall short of journalistic professionalism anyway. I can only imagine how many of my letters you'd have printed over the preceding eight years if I'd spoken about your Messiah, Barack Hussein Obama, in the same fashion! Oh, the cries of “racism” would have been off the chart of any measurable standard known to mankind. But then, it is your “paper,” ergo you still have the right to the same freedom of speech the majority of your readers want to deny Trump. But, hey, you've become so well versed in your hatred of our President—yes, he's yours as well!—the next five years should be a piece of cake for you!

Mike Mantor

Reno

Hashing things out

What struck me about the Washoe County Commission meeting of Oct. 22 was the over-reaching, arrogant, dismissive and condescending remarks made by the County Commissioners to those voicing opinions to uphold current zoning and planning restrictions for Silver Knolls. In their final comments Commissioners Lucey and Hartung chastised the local residents using terms like fear of change, anti-growth and being inconsiderate for speaking up in support of current restrictions and upholding the Planning Commission's unanimous denial of Lifestyle Homes' Silver Hills project. More troubling, none of the Commissioners disclosed that since 2016, collectively, they received over $95,000 in campaign contributions from pro-growth connections. This includes at least $6,700 from Lifestyle Homes. The only thing that matters to this Commission is the assessed value of parcels—not your lifestyle, not your safety, not your input. Current residents are not valued, only the lure of raising more tax dollars. #washoecounty #silverknolls #silverhills

Marcial Reiley

Reno

Reuse, reduce, recycle, reread

Things I can do with the RN&R: Read it. Start up fireplace. Wash windows. Mop up spills. Emergency TP (little rocks work too?). Make PCrete. Absorbant for toxic liquids (& opinions). Make paper hats! Stuffing for fragile stuff in boxes. Shield for spray painting. Paper mache art things. Roll a fat one if I run out of zig-zags. Line the birdcage. Compost it. Mulch for the garden. A cover to kill weeds. Insulation for shoes, pants, other homeless needs. Temporary shelter from rain, snow. Cheap confetti. Wallpaper. Polish my shoes. Reread it. It goes on. …

Craig Bergland

Reno

Carry the day

I just heard that a decision was made, in Reno, Nevada, to have World AIDS Day on Nov. 23, 2019 at Holland Project, instead of Dec. 1, 2019.

The reasoning was, is that you only have grants available then. The one time of year we honor people who have died of HIV, and it cannot be scheduled as such! HMMM!?

To me, as a homosexual Satanist, living with HIV and who has known many who died from AIDS, it looks more like another reason why there is discrimination against individuals who are living with HIV, in Reno. It looks to me like it was not convenient to have World AIDS Day on a Christian church day of Sunday. Not convenient for the mayor and other speakers. I am shocked that this world AIDS Day now seems like having an impression of unimportance (compared to the rest of the world).

I ask you to change your mind and have World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, 2019. Do we Honor Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on Sept. 2, or Christmas on Dec. 15? No, we do not! The reason we celebrate Dec. 1, 2019 as World AIDS Day is that a lot of people sacrificed to make this day happen and it has meaning. It has meaning, just as those other days of remembrance and holidays have meaning. If you can not make World AIDS Day, then do not go say a prayer in your congregation. Do not sabotage or usurp World AIDS Day from the rest of us for your convenience. I am ashamed of the mayor for agreeing to honor World AIDS Day on another day. I also ask this never ever happen again!

Michael Pitkin

Reno